Earlier this week, Missouri state Senator Jamilah Nasheed, a Democrat who has sponsored several anti-gun bills, was arrested while protesting in front of the Ferguson Police Department, The Blaze reported Tuesday. What made the arrest interesting is that Nasheed was carrying a 9mm handgun with extra ammunition.

Authorities also said Nasheed “smelled strongly of intoxicants." But Nasheed refused to take a breathalyzer test and maintains she was not intoxicated.

"Sen. Nasheed, along with another male, entered the street, were told numerous times by not only by the St. Louis County commander, but other officers on scene, that they needed to leave the street or they were subject to arrest," said St. Louis County Police Sgt. Brian Schellman. "They failed to comply, and they were taken into custody."

The arrest was conducted without incident, CBS St. Louis said. Nasheed, however, chanted as she was taken away. On Tuesday, Nasheed said hers was a “symbolic arrest” to send a “message to the protesters that we can protest peacefully and that we must protest peacefully and that we want justice for Michael Brown.”

But her arrest and news that she was in possession of a firearm brought charges of hypocrisy. According to attorney Eric Vickers, Nasheed needs the gun for her own protection and Nasheed says she holds a concealed carry permit. But if Nasheed had her way, other Missourians would not have the same right.

One bill she pushed, for example, would have required the “parent or guardian of a child who attends a public, private, or charter school shall notify, in writing, the superintendent of the school district, or the governing body of a private school or charter school, that such parent or guardian owns a firearm within thirty calendar days” of enrollment. The NRA has also dubbed several of her bills as "anti-gun," and a post at Guns Save Lives said Nasheed has voted against several pro-gun bills over the last two years.

Twitchy noted that Vickers organized a demonstration that disrupted traffic and caused accidents on Interstate 70 in September. He also serves as Nasheed's chief-of-staff.

USA Today said Nasheed refused to pay her $600 bond and sent the night in jail, but was released after an unidentified individual paid it for her. Nasheed, USA Today added, said her gun has not been returned.